It is well known to administer powdered medicaments to the lung bronchioles of a patient by means of inhalation devices having mouthpieces which enable the medicament to be inhaled through the mouth of the patient. The medicament is supplied in gelatine capsules which are inserted in the device and pierced or perforated after which inhalation through the mouthpiece will cause the powdered medicament to be released from the capsule and passed to the patient.
Capsules containing such medicaments are generally of gelatine and of elongated "torpedo" shape and are constructed in two parts, one of which (called the capsule body) is partly enclosed within the other (called the capsule cap). The contacting portions of the two capsule parts are often provided with grooves and/or ribs which have the effect of "locking" the two capsule parts together. The inhalation devices for use with such capsules normally have a chamber arranged to receive a capsule containing the medicament. An air inlet aperture, or a plurality of such apertures, lead into the chamber and air from the chamber can be inhaled through a nozzle forming part of the chamber. The air inlet aperture or apertures is/are so arranged that the air flow caused by inhalation through the nozzle will cause the contents of the pierced or perforated capsule within the chamber to be released and withdrawn through the nozzle.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved inhalation device which is simpler to operate than known devices.